Cleaning is a chore everyone dreads, but it’s a necessary evil. If you only clean what’s visibly dirty, you’re missing other appliances, furniture, and accessories that are even more filthy.
Want to know if you’re cleaning your home often enough? This guide will help you figure out what to clean and when.
How Often to Clean Your Kitchen
Your kitchen is the hub for cooking and eating food, however, it’s also a hub for germs. Neglecting your kitchen can quickly make it the dirtiest spot in your house.
Countertops and Sink: Every Day
When you cook on the daily, you use your countertop to organize ingredients for your next recipe. This means that it’ll inevitably gather crumbs, stains, and bacteria. Wipe down your counter and backsplash with warm soap and water to keep it clean.
Although you might not think that your kitchen sink gets dirty, it’s also a prime location for germs. Simply washing your kitchen sink with dish soap and hot water will take care of any grime.
Kitchen Table: Every Day
Who wants to eat on a dirty surface? Don’t serve food without wiping down your kitchen table with water and dish soap.
Microwave: Once a Week
You already know how filthy your microwave can get. Microwave something for too long, and you can wind up with an explosion of food splatter.
To clean it, fill a container with one cup of water, and 1/4 cup vinegar. Insert it in the microwave, let it run for about five minutes, and leave the door shut for an extra two minutes. Once the microwave gets steamy, you can easily remove stains with a sponge or paper towel.
Refrigerator: Once a Month
Your fridge deserves a deep cleaning once every month. That means cleaning every part of the fridge, including the shelves, walls, and drawers.
Oven: Every Six Months
If your oven isn’t too dirty, you can use its self-cleaning option. Otherwise, scrub off any crust, grime, and grease with a DIY concoction of baking soda, vinegar, and water.
How Often to Clean Your Bathroom
If there’s one room you should take the time to clean, it’s your bathroom.
Countertops and Sink: Every Day
It takes only one day for your bathroom counter and sink to become dirty. Your hair, makeup, and even toothpaste can find their way onto your bathroom surfaces, making for a gross-looking surface.
Toilet Bowl: Every Day
You don’t have to put in a ton of work in order to clean your toilet, especially if you get into the habit of cleaning it every day. Use some toilet bowl cleaner, and start scrubbing away.
Mirrors: Once a Week
When you notice your mirror getting dusty, cloudy, or dotted with stains, it’s time to use some glass cleaner to get its shine back.
Shower/Bathtub: Once a Week
Don’t underestimate how dirty your shower and bathtub can become. Even if you can’t visibly see any grime, bacteria can still lurk on these surfaces. That’s why it’s so important to clean your shower or bathtub at least once a week.
Toothbrush Holder: Once a Month
Your toothbrush holder isn’t immune to germs just because the head of your toothbrush doesn’t touch it. Bacteria from your mouth, and the water from your toothbrush can still gather on the bottom and sides of the holder.
How Often to Clean Your Bedroom
Keeping your bedroom clean doesn’t only involve organizing your clothes and making your bed. You’ll need to do some other chores to keep the dirtiness at bay.
Bedsheets: Once a Week
Think about it: you lay in your bed every night and use the same sheets. This allows for tons of dead skin cells, sweat, drool, and even dust mites to accumulate on your linens. Throw your sheets in the washing machine once a week, and you’ll feel a lot more comfortable when you crawl into bed.
Mattress: Once a Month
Since your mattress lies right underneath your sheets, it can also accrue dust mites and dead skin cells. After stripping the sheets, vacuum your mattress, and then sprinkle some baking soda on it to absorb odors. Vacuum up the baking soda, and you’ll have a fresh mattress.
Pillows: Every Six Months
A pillowcase doesn’t fully protect your pillow. Just throw them in the washing machine once every six months to clean them.
How Often to Clean Your Living Room
The living room is usually the first place any guests will see when they walk into your house. Make a great impression by keeping this area spotless.
Computer and TV: Once a Week
Your computer and laptop harbors tons of germs. Dip a cotton swab in alcohol, and gently wipe it over your keys to disinfect them. Don’t forget to dust your TV and entertainment center as well.
Coffee Table: Once a Week
Get those grimy drink stains off of your coffee table, and wipe it down weekly.
Couch: Once a Week
If you have pets that like to make themselves comfortable on your couch, you’ll find tons of fur on your cushions. Not only that, but crumbs will also begin to pile up in your couch’s crevices. It doesn’t hurt to vacuum your couch at least once a week.
How Often to Clean Your Whole House
Now that you’ve checked off the above rooms, you’re not exactly done. The furniture and accessories that span your entire house still need cleaning!
Rugs and Floors: Once a Week
After you vacuum your rugs, you should mop any tile or hardwood floors. It’s a lot of work, but the spiffy end result makes it worth it.
Light Fixtures: Once a Month
Lights and ceiling fans are dust magnets. You can use a microfiber cloth to clean reachable fixtures, while an expandable duster is best for any fixtures on the ceiling.
Curtains and Windows: Once a Month
Windows can gather dirt and dust over time, and the curtains can get just as dirty. Wipe down each window, and vacuum the curtains once a month.
Keeping Your Home Clean and Spotless
There’s no denying that cleaning takes a lot of time and effort. Instead of trying to tackle all of these chores in one day, spread out any weekly or monthly chores. That way, you can keep a clean home without feeling overwhelmed.
Satisfied with your home’s cleanliness? It’s time to organize your wardrobe and maximize space.
